Drahl Lore
The Drahl The Drahl or “Drahl-Folk” (Pronounced “Drall”) are the native and first inhabitants of Esna. The Drahl used to inhabit every reach of the land until they were driven to almost extinction though their naive and tribal like state. Often seen as controversial in nature due to their well-practiced religion that involves the use of psychoactive substances and plants otherwise banned and under probation elsewhere. Drahl are rarely seen outside the marshlands but it is said there are native Drahl in every continent over the entirety of Ensa. The appearance of a Drahl depends on the location they were born, the usual Drahl however suffer from strange pigment loss in their skin from the dull hue of the swamp, making them a pale white/grey, their eyes too find it hard to adjust to bright lights, being a strange, Black pigment. Drahl are often short, skinny and all share the shade black as a prominent hair colour. It has been long debated by the minds of Crosia if in fact the Drahl are human at all. Culture The largest Drahl population or “Drach” are a tribe that originated in the large swamp habitat of Crookmire, living in small wooden houses on stilts called “Telkin” (Spelt Phonetically). They would grow strange fruits of different tastes and would drink water welled up through the swamp water surface. Each Drahl community is called a Collective, they consist of many Telkin and usually a place of worship called a shrine. In a thriving Drahl collective there would be at least more than fifty wooden Telkin including a guard force, shrine, and market, and in collectives of administration there is often a temple to Tsarra too however since the Drahl neared extinction Collectives are nowhere near this size. “Administration, Collective” is an adopted name as this simply refers to a Collective that has a certain important military, economic or diplomatic power and a working government or council, along with an administration building that other collectives would look toward for guidance. The Wandering Abyss is made up of many marshes and bogs that stretch for miles across the world, their hospitable conditions leaving many unmapped which is why the swamps are referred to as “Wandering” as there is no two maps the same, leaving many adventurous explorers hopelessly lost in the miles and miles of strange plants and foul, stagnant waters. Markets are usually outdoors and consist of small stalls with access to a shrine, which is simply a small house converted into a place of worship where candles and other oils are burnt almost constantly. The Drahl live quiet lives that are often spent studying religion or herbalism. The Drahl, however never adopted an employment or career scheme as resources are gathered and used as a community, this is why many Drahl will rather resort to crime elsewhere in Esna rather than find a legitimate career. The Drahl soon adopted a more civilised approach to their lifestyle after first contact with the Oserians and a band of black market traders called “Rippcore”, instead of the rags and furs the villagers would soon begin to wear simple clothing, use modern sewage solutions and adopt an economy based on barter. This would then become known as “The Awakening” There are said to be Drahl in every continent and every climate and they have been around since the creation of the world, some even say they are the one people favoured by the gods. Subcultures Drach (Crookmire Swampland) The largest Drahl subculture that makes the overall majority. The Drach live in wooden houses on stilts and live in swampland. Grulk (The Northern Summit) The oldest Drahl subrace, their primal state has left them as mere cavemen who live in caves in the coldest regions of the world. Due to their adaptation to the harsh weather Grulk are often 8 to 9 feet tall and use strength and violence as their first cause of action, meaning that even the women have a tough physique. The Grulk actually don't speak a language and communicate simply through the use of mere grunts and growls. Sharkan (Crosian Desert) Previously known as the “Shari” the Sharkan tribesmen of the Crosian desert characterised by their dark skin and simple lifestyle are very rare and little in number. The little collectives commanded by the Sharkan are often underground and use mining, cow and sheep herding to maintain stability. The administration of this subrace is barely known and is often different depending on the community. Yaelk (Oserian Plains) After being hunted for sport by their close neighbours the Oserians the Yaelk have quickly adapted to life underground, their collectives are small and so rare that you are lucky to even see a Yaelk on the surface. Often characterized by their tanned/pinkish skin and short stature the Yaelk are the Oserian “Drahl of Choice” and are often captured for the use in brutal gladiator like fights to the death. The Yaelkian culture used to be much more diverse with the use of travelling collectives of tents and herbal medicine but has been almost destroyed by the force of the Oserians who effectively stole their land from them. The Kelken Rebels (Krelkar) The free people of Krelkar are a group of rebels that originally split from the Drahl of Crookmire to form their own country and live a free lifestyle outside the swamp where they would be free from the persecution and oppression of the Crosians and Oserians. The Krelken are in constant turmoil as their land is frequently raided by the Grulk for its animals and food. The land of Krelkar is a dangerous place and is inhabited by not only strange beasts but groups of Tribal Drahl that are native to the habitat, the Krelken Rebels originally merged with the natives to become the free people of Krelkar, natives to the land are referred to as Lo before their name and are often very wise and of a great age, they are quite rare as there are very little isolated tribes left in Krelkar. House System The Drahl family system works quite differently to those of the other human nations, previously unimportant before the awakening the families of the leading parties of government took on a more administrative role in the modern era, many of the common people looking up to them to guidance. These families would be known as noble in other areas of Esna but the Drahl understand that these titles make men no more important than anyone else so any Drahl noble family would be known by the renown of their name, not just their status. Drahl noble families are often very small and only really adopt a banner or important place in politics through their own personal prestige. Heirs are chosen usually through Tanistry where members of the council elect their favoured heir, this tends to keep a calm and stable governing body. The Drahl also controversially follow the succession law Enatic-Cognatic which means only males can inherit if there are no eligible females. Military The Drahl are not known for their military strength but their guerrilla tactics have known to be extremely difficult to engage. As politics are usually handled by the females the males are the key force in labour and combat, the military is split up into three separate groups based on body proportion, less-agile taller Drahl will usually take up the position of archer, smaller but faster Drahl become cutters and larger more formidable Drahl become the tanks of the battlefield. Cutters will be given their sword or machete when they are very young, at this stage it will be a piece of sheet metal with a handle, the Cutter will spend their whole life working and sharpening the weapon until it’s perfect for their handling and weight. Drahl Cutting groups usually go up to about 6 soldiers that attack in a very specific manner, their blades being poison tipped making their blows deadly but scarce. Archers will attack from a distance whilst the cutters attack the enemy by slashing at exposed areas around the armour, when the enemy is crippled and bleeding the tanks then move in using clubbing and crushing weapons to finish off the injured opponents. Banner The Drahl banner, green and brown stripes with a skull and bones is actually not the flag of the leading house. As the Drahl are so numerous and widespread, as a collective adopted the banner of their most prestigious house: “Talhar” that constructed and administered the grand sanctuary of Elios. The Drahl began using the banner after all the family members of house Talhar were slaughtered in the massacre, it now serves as a brutal reminder of what the people as a whole have endured. The banners of the noble houses however are only displayed in their own collective or region. Religion As many of the original beliefs or “Teachings of Tsarra” revolve around the use of psychoactive substances in an almost ritualistic fashion, many firm believers in the teachings of Tsarra will often smoke or drink various substances that will produce strong hallucinogenic effects, this would be seen as a state of worship and prayer. The teachings of Tsarra have been passed down from generation to generation, Drahl preachers say Tsarra is the Goddess that in the beginning of the life cycle, taught the many of the swamp to eat the fruits and expand their minds with the various plants easily farmed in the murky waters and mud, helping them evolve and adapt to use farming and fishery to gain food and the art of building shelter. Its even said that the Sanctuary of Elios was designed by the goddess herself. Seen on the right is the religious symbol of Tsarra’s blessing, a jug, to signify the gift of food, health and wellbeing. The Drahl believe that when you die your body is given Tsarra’s divine blessing and is free to watch down from “Vahlas” or “The Infinite World” which is described as being a large, empty desert where you can do whatever pleases you. A Temple to Tsarra is a structure dug into the ground with a long tall steeple that would protrude from the earth above, a large fireplace is located in the centre and many furs cover the floor to make comfortable seating. As the Drahl ritual session begins a large amount of herbs and psychoactive mushrooms are placed in the fire and the room is sealed with a large cloth allowing it to fill with smoke, a preacher then speaks the word of Tsarra much like a noble lord would during a feast, after a few hours the members disburse, some may even stay and sleep to prolong their state of worship. Only Female Drahl are eligible to become priestesses as they are seen as closest to Tsarra, this is also true to the inheritance laws (Enatic-Cognatic) as men can only inherit titles if there are no females. The Five Teachings of Tsarra The various different teachings of Tsarra are simply religious stories that chronicle the Drahl’s cultural evolution with five different events that moved the race forward either culturally or technologically and that the Drahl believe were caused by divine intervention. Sacren and the Well of Infinite Minds 71bt Sacren is known to the Drahl people as the Saint of good health and fortune, his story is very basic yet marks the beginning of the Drahl as a people and is one of their most important religious texts. Sacren was a simple mushroom picker who lived only with his crippled father in their primitive mud hut. Sacren’s father loathed him with spite for his youth and would often accuse him of wasting his lineage as the girls of the collective seemed to ignore him and cast him out, leaving Sacren alone. The boy was hard at work one afternoon when he suddenly found himself in a small clearing within the swamp with a small stone well in the centre, the shape and structure very different to the usual Drahl reserve of mud and swamp water, this well was described as being round with a small roof and crank that held a bucket above the long drop into the water below. Sacren approached the well with caution but with his thirst overwhelming him he dropped the bucket and took a drink. Upon returning to the village that night Sacren had a vivid dream where a woman calling herself “The One” approached him as he slept, she gave him three specific instructions detailing how his tribe could access the water deep within the swamps depths that was clean and readily available for them, all she asked in return is that Sacren would spread her message and help the other tribes throughout Crookmire swamp follow suit. Whether the original well of minds exists or not Crosian and Oserian scholars agree there is no clear explanation how the Drahl could ever know the existence of water beneath them, let alone how to find it. The Crop and the Midas Touched 52bt On the second moon of the year 420 a scrawny Shari farmer and goods merchant named Valkin was heading off to harvest barley, his farm at a river's edge in the large expanse of what is now known as the Crosian Desert. Valkin was a very lucrative man and always enjoyed making money over anything else and when he arrived at his field to find that his entire crop was instead Cannisapium he rejoiced at the strange yet wondrous miracle and quickly began scheming ways of selling the large batch. As Valkin set upon the long road home he was stopped by a weary beggar, the short and spotty man asked for just a mere twig of the now very rich merchants harvest to which he replied “Nok! Tok-Balah! why should lay now clean and plentiful hands on your grubby and unwashed ones!?” and quickly carried on his way. Valkin walked for many hours before reaching his collective and with his feet weary and his cart wealthy he decided to take a trip to the bazaar to trade his harvest for more finer things. Upon wheeling the cart into the market centre however disaster struck, the wheel of Valkins cart quickly snapped sending the herbs into the street, peasants scrambled to quickly gather them up as Valkin lay in the mud screaming and lashing out, upon opening his eyes however much to his surprise he found the peasants rolling a new wheel toward him and bundling up his crop into a much more cleanly manner whilst loading it back onto the back of his small decrepit cart. A Drach man extends his arm and helps up the poor merchant, dusting him off and taking him under his wing, Valkin will become the second Saint of Tsarra’s Teachings as he learns to be fair and just, respecting all and spreading the word of Tsarra. History Originating in the swamplands the Drahl are the oldest people on Esna, however their culture and mindset stop them having a desire to evolve. The Drahl have always had little connection to the outside world, it was only until Oserian black market traders had a road established to enable easy access to the various banned substances thought impossible to grow in other areas of the world that could only be found in the Drahl’s native habitat, Crookmire Swampland. Many Drahl speak the word of Tsarra, several stories past down by simple Drahl folk who would become saints and cherished amongst their people. Due to their disconnection to the outside world the Drahl have not advanced further than their tribal state, however after the Drahl were pushed to near extinction by Oserian forces in 1078 they began to adapt more to outside cultures, some even migrating away from the swamp to proselytise so that the word of Tsarra can be heard all across the land. Tsarra’s Acceptance 472 The Fall of Elios Sanctuary 1059 The Sanctuary of Elios was the largest Drahl Collective, made up of thousands of buildings made from brick and wood the Drahl capital was formed. Elios was an architectural masterpiece, as it was located outside Crookmire Swamp houses could be built with stronger materials however the cities glory was short lived. Due to the sanctuary’s location it soon fell victim to one of the darkest days in Drahl history. The Oserians, eager to halt the spread of the Drahl’s mind altering religion soon began siege of the capital. It wasn't long before the city was pillaged and sacked, all guards present were slaughtered, the women were raped, their children taken as slaves and trophies for the higher noble lords in other provinces. All technology the Drahl had amassed to this point was destroyed. With the Sanctuary of Elios in ruins and every administrator dead the Drahl were forced quickly back into the swamps and hunted to near extinction. Timeline 000 (472bt) Early Evolution, Drahl evolve into intelligent homosapiens. 136 (336bt) Gorg cavemen discover the properties of fire. 142 (330bt) It is widely accepted that mushrooms found under the effects of Green-spored Orange Lichen from swamp regions are dangerous to eat. 150-300 (172bt) Crude Drahl civilization is established in the swamp region of Crookmire and all across Esna, several small Collectives and civilisations are built, many of these would then become administrative collectives and the beginning of many of the small tribes in the different climates across Esna. 310 (162bt) Tools are created and weapon experimentation begins. 315 (157bt) Canisampium is discovered in Crookmire Swamp 335 (137bt) The first weapons are created from flint and bone. 401-450 (22bt) The various saints have their encounters with Tsarra’s divine blessing. 450-472 Temples and Shrines to Tsarra are created and the religion starts to amass a great following. 472 The Teachings of Tsarra are recognised as Drahl de facto religion, many Drahl in the areas around Crookmire flock to the swamp on mass. The adopted time frames before and after Tsarra are adopted by the Drahl. 523 House Talhar become extremely influential and begin the construction of Elios Sanctuary. 523-700 The Drahl adopt feudal civilisation, using peace and diplomacy all collectives stand as one under a democratic government throughout Crookmire swamp, tribes in other areas of the world have little success however, and remain as small tribal cultures. 880 Crosian miners guild Mar’Prus arrives in the highly defensive area of Sandfall Cove on the Sal’thar Coast, they befriend and live alongside the native Drahl tribe the “Shari”. They would soon become the townspeople of Telth. 881 Drahl military “Cutting Groups” are formed to protect borders from outside interest. 905 Kaal Vaspan arrives in Sandfall Cove, he disrupts the peaceful life of the Shari tribesmen living alongside the Mar’Prus miners guild. He controls the guild with threats and coercion whilst ordering the weak and infirm Drahl to leave the safety of the cove alongside the children, the adults were to stay and become slaves to the tyrant. The children would then grow up to become the Sharkan Drahl Tribesmen of the Crosian desert who are scarcely seen outside their small mining collectives. 913-1021 Drahl Cutters clash with Oserian forces using guerrilla tactics on several occasions, no official war is declared and the Drahl are pushed back into Crookmire after sustaining heavy casualties. All green, fertile land previously owned by the Drahl is taken as right by Oserian forces and disbursed to lesser lords. 1021-1068 The Drahl slave trading begins, both the Oserians and Crosians playing a significant part in rounding up the native Drahl tribes and selling them into slave labour. Telth becomes a major slave trading hub now governed by the corrupt Kaal Vaspan. 1059 The Sanctuary of Elios massacre takes place, more than 8000 Drahl Cutters are killed in the attack on Elios monastery. Hundreds of Priestesses are murdered, raped and enslaved by Oserian forces. The Sanctuary of Elios becomes a ruin and a mass grave. 1060 Oserian scribes discover the properties of Silver Woundwort after further investigation of writings found in the ruins of Elios Sanctuary. The herb is adopted into Oserian medicine, ultimately saving the Drahl race. The Drahl name Silver Woundwort “The Miracle Flower”. 1059-1078 The Drahl are hunted to near extinction and left isolated in the swamps, becoming a myth and a popular topic for scary bedtime stories for children. Popular names such as “Paleface” and “Bone-Walker” are adopted. 1078-1146 The Drahl live under fear of Human invasion until black market traders named “Rippcore” forcefully open trade routes using threats and coercion to gain access to illegal substances found in Crookmire Swamp 1147 The Drahl once again declare their borders under a new, aspirational leader. Initiating the beginning of ToB. Language The Drahl have their own language called “Tehn” or “Swamp-Talk” in Oserian, that is comprised of different words of various pronunciations, for example: “Where is the blacksmith?” would be “Hae na’ Dresh” The Drahl however prefer to speak the common tongue due to their observing nature, helping them understand languages and cultures easily. Some words however will always be said in the Drahl native Tehn, here are a few examples: Tsarra - The One, The Drahl deity often referred to as “The Goddess" “Blessings of Tsarra upon you” Nok - No Yis - Yes Balah - Idiot “Get out of Telkin, Balah!” Tok-Balah - Complete idiot “Greklin is a Tok-Balah, cannot even lace own shoe” Drahi Hi’ - A small seafood dish containing squid and shrimp “Damn, I sure am hungry for some Drahi Hi’ right now” Telkin - Home, is pronounced “Tel-Kin” “Must head to Telkin, head is throbbing” Gechi - Greetings “Gechi! welcome to Telkin, make sure of wiped feet” Tehn - Native Drahl Language “No speak Tehn, do you?” Dresh - Blacksmith “Left pipe in Dresh, bent a tube on it, very worried” Vahlas - Heaven “Tsarra will meet me in Vahlas” Herbal Medicine The Drahl have used ancient herbal medicine since the teachings of Tsarra were established in 472, many of the medicines being psychoactive in nature have been used to treat wounds from simple fractures and illness to that which would cause certain death otherwise. There are many different kinds of medicines used by the Drahl for medicinal or religious reasons, Here are just a few of their well known remidies and herbs: Silver Woundwort “The Miracle Flower” 1060 When used in alchemy with other basic ingredients, the tall silvery white flower can create a “Balm of Awakening” that can heal wounds that would otherwise cause certain death. The gritty poultice is added to the wound or mixed into a drink if the damage is internal, after a few days of rest and healing the subject should be completely healed. Silver Woundwort seems to have a lesser effect on wounds that have been re-opened multiple times, the wound will take longer to heal and scars will begin to form. The use of Silver Woundwort was quickly adopted by the Oserians in 1060, after scribes discovered the properties of the herb from writings found inside Elios Sanctuary. Canisampium “Cactus Green” 315 Oserians and Crosian scribes use the phrase “Cactus Green” or “Pipe-Weed” to describe the tall green plant that produces psychoactive flowers. The Drahl refer to the Canisampium as “Kush” or “Weed” for short however there are many other black market names that refer to the different strains of female and male plants. When the plant is smoked in a pipe or in a large fire, the smoke that is produced gives off a calming effect. Canisampium is currently under prohibition in all the major kingdoms. But sentencing is a lot lower. Hydrothyria Red Waxy Cap “The Mind Mushroom” 330bt The Red mushroom that is known to grow inside and outside the wandering abyss is a common strain of Hydrothyria but is also known to be the worlds most mind altering fungus when introduced to the swamp. Mushrooms of this kind that grow outside swamp regions can be eaten for a quite nutritious meal however, spores given off by Green-spored Orange Lichen that can only be found in Wandering Abyss causes the mushrooms to mutate and gain psychoactive properties. Due to the mushrooms strength about half an hour after consumption the user will become totally disconnected from reality. With the drugs effects being different with each individual its difficult to determine the actual effects of the fungus on the human brain. The effect of Green-spored Orange Lichen even spreads to other known mushrooms like Brown-Cap but officials can easily tell a psychoactive mushroom due to the “Waxy” texture and bright green spores underneath the hood. Possession of Swamp mushrooms is absolutely illegal in every kingdom due to their dangerous and unpredictable nature. Notes: Common Brain Jelly RashRoot